EASTER weekend is Australian production car racing’s time to shine.
The Bathurst 6 Hour was one of many events cancelled due to COVID-19 last year and makes a welcome return this weekend.
Here’s five reasons why we’ll be tuning in…
An old school enduro
Those who yearn for the variety, class battles, big grids and unpredictability of Bathursts of old; this race is for you.
In many ways it has the feel of the early days of both the Bathurst 1000 and the 12 Hour, before those events evolved into the highly professional shows they are today.
The entry list for the 6 Hour is 61 cars deep. Yep, that’s more than double that of the modern 1000… and there’s eight class battles to keep an eye on.
There are 15 manufacturers represented – BMW, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Ford, FPV, Volkswagen, Audi, HSV, Holden, Renault, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, KIA and Suzuki – and in some cases, multiple models within the brand.
Each car has its own strengths and weaknesses and it’s production car racing, so reliability is truly tested. Throw in a mix of pro and amateur drivers and the outcome is anything but predictable…
SVG’s Triple Crown chase
Speaking of drivers, there are no shortage of interesting stories to highlight, but let’s start with the headline act.
Shane van Gisbergen is co-driving a BMW M4. Forget the broken collarbone, this guy has won in Supercars, open-wheelers and rally cars in recent months and would love to add a production car victory to his list.
As the reigning Bathurst 1000 and a past Bathurst 12 Hour winner, he’s also shooting to become just the second driver behind Paul Morris to sweep Bathurst’s unofficial ‘Triple Crown’.
Veteran John Bowe could also earn that honour this weekend, although he looms as rather more of an outside chance aboard a HSV GTS.
Van Gisbergen isn’t the only Supercars star to keep an eye on either. Tim Slade (BMW M3) and Brodie Kostecki (Ford Mustang) are also in the field, the latter sharing with Morris himself.
Familiar names return
There are a few familiar names from past Bathurst 1000s making a return to Mount Panorama; some with their next generation in tow.
Three-time Great Race podium getter Steven Ellery will share a BMW M3 with sons Tristan and Dalton, 13 years after his final start in the 1000.
Like Ellery, another to come out of the woodwork for Bathurst is Cameron McLean, who returns to racing to share one of the new Ford Mustangs in the field.
McLean made 12 starts in the Bathurst 1000 from 1997-2007, scoring four top-five finishes without a podium. Can he finally climb the rostrum on Sunday?
Two more sons of a Great Race veteran are tackling the 6 Hour for a good cause with Ben and Michael Kavich flying the flag for Race for a Cure, a charity founded by Ben’s wife Toula after her breast cancer diagnosis following the 2016-edition of the 6 Hour.
Ben and Michael are the sons of Tony Kavich, who campaigned a succession of Yellow Pages-backed Mazdas and Commodores in touring car racing in the 1980s – and Yellow Pages will again grace the panels of their #15 Mitsubishi.
And how good’s this? Jason Bargwanna and cousin Scott are fielding their two sons, Ben and Jude, in a VW Golf GTi almost 30 years after teaming up to win their class in the Great Race aboard a Toyota Corolla.
The undercard
While the production cars take top billing, this is a multi-category race meeting with some big-ticket support races.
Chief among them is the Bathurst debut of TCR, which brings with it a heap of intrigue as to how the two-litre touring cars will fare at Mount Panorama, including what ultimate lap times they can produce.
Trans Am and Australian GT also continue their seasons this weekend; the latter providing a much-needed fix of Bathurst GT3 action following the cancellation of February’s annual Bathurst 12 Hour due to COVID-19.
Historic Touring Cars, Excels and the Radical Cup complete the program.
It’s on free to air…
The entire Bathurst 6 Hour will be televised live and free on 7mate on Sunday.
Between free-to-air TV and online streaming there will be in excess of 17 hours of live coverage across Saturday and Sunday.
The coverage will be headed by Mark Beretta, commentators Greg Rust, Matt Naulty and Richard Craill and the pit lane reporting team of Chris Stubbs, David Reynolds, Brad Hodge and Jess Dane.
TV details are as follows. Note: The 7plus coverage can be viewed through its dedicated app or directly via the www.7plus.com.au/ website.
The Bathurst 6 Hour gets underway at 11:15am local time on Sunday.
Saturday, 3 April
7mate
10:00am – 13:00pm – Includes TransAm Race 1 & 2, TCR Australia Races 1 & 2 and Hyundai Excels Race 3
7plus
10:00am – 13:00pm – Includes TransAm Race 1 & 2, TCR Australia Races 1 & 2 and Hyundai Excels Race 3
14:00pm – 17:30pm – includes GT World Challenge Race 1, Historic Touring Cars, Radical Australia and Bathurst 6 Hour qualifying.
Sunday, 4 April
7mate:
10:00am – 17:30pm – Includes TCR Australia Race 3 & the 2021 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour
7plus:
08:00am – 17:30pm – Exclusive morning coverage includes TransAm Race 3 and GT World Challenge Race 2.
Entry List: 2021 Bathurst 6 Hour
Car # | Class | Driver A | Driver B | Driver C | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | X | Beric Lynton | Tim Leahey | BMW M3 | |
2 | E | David Worrell | Andrew McMaster | Mazda 3 SP25 | |
3 | C | Nicholas McLeod | Ben McLeod | Cameron McLeod | Holden HSV Astra VXR |
4 | A1 | Anthony Soole | Dylan Thomas | BMW M4 | |
5 | C | Doug Westwood | Cody Gillis | BMW M3 | |
6 | A1 | Rod Salmon | Steve McLaughlan | Neale Muston | Mercedes-Benz A45 |
7 | A2 | Tony Quinn | Grant Denyer | Tim Miles | Ford Mustang GT |
8 | X | Bradley Carr | Tim Slade | BMW M3 | |
9 | A1 | Hadrian Morrall | Tyler Mecklem | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO | |
11 | D | Mitchell Maddren | Mathew Payne | Murray Dowsett | Subaru BRZ |
13 | C | Colin Osborne | Rick Bates | Renault Megane | |
14 | D | Lachlan Mineeff | Thomas Sargent | Toyota 86 GTS | |
15 | A1 | Michael Kavich | Ben Kavich | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO RS | |
16 | A2 | Jason Simes | Anthony Levitt | Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 | |
17 | A1 | Jessy Bryan | Cody Donald | Angelo Mouzouris | BMW M1 |
18 | A2 | Graeme Muir | Jamie Hodgson | Holden HSV GTS | |
19 | A1 | Jimmy Vernon | Mark Griffith | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO RS | |
20 | C | Robin Lacey | Matilda Mravicic | Peter Lacey | VW Scirocco |
21 | X | Simon Hodges | Mark Caine | BMW M4 | |
23 | A2 | Michael James | Antonio Astuti | Ryan Suhle | Holden HSV GTS |
24 | D | Graeme Heath | David Hassall | Stephen Stockdale | Toyota 86 GTS |
25 | A2 | Coleby Cowham | Lindsay Kearns | Ford Mustang GT | |
27 | X | Grant Sherrin | David Russell | BMW M4 | |
28 | A2 | Bayley Hall | Steve Hay | Cameron McLean | Ford Mustang GT |
29 | A2 | Darren Forrest | Paul Razum | Holden HSV R8 Clubsport | |
30 | A2 | Steve Pittman | Craig Baird | Scott Cameron | Holden HSV VE |
31 | C | Josh Haynes | Kaide Lehmann | Renault Megane | |
33 | A1 | Aaron McGill | Michael Caine | Ford Falcon GT-F | |
34 | X | Christopher Manley | Calum Jones | BMW M3 | |
35 | E | Brianna Wilson | Jake Lougher | Philip Alexander | Mazda 3-SP25 |
36 | D | James Holloway | Michael Holloway | David Brown | Toyota Celica |
40 | B2 | James Herington | Arthur Tsovolos | Drew Russell | Holden Commodore SSV |
41 | X | Tony Virag | John Bowe | Barry Sternbeck | Holden HSV GTS |
42 | A1 | Garth Walden | Michael Auld | Mercedes- Benz A45 | |
43 | E | Michael Hopp | Steve McHugh | Michael Rice | Suzuki Swift Sport RS416 |
44 | A2 | Daniel Clift | Ashley Heffernan | Holden HSV R8 Clubsport | |
45 | A1 | Michael Sheargold | Brett Hobson | Ollie Shannon | Mercedes-Benz AMG |
46 | E | Ian Cowley | Daniel Natoli | Matt Thewis | Suzuki Swift Sport RS416 |
47 | C | John Fitzgerald | Scott Turner | Urs Muller | BMW 130i |
48 | B1 | Scott Gore | Keith Bensley | BMW 135i | |
49 | A2 | Tony Alford | Kyle Alford | Ford Mustang | |
50 | A1 | Cem Yucel | Iain Salteri | Volkswagen Golf R | |
51 | C | Chris Holdt | Madeline Stewart | David Ling | Holden HSV Astra VXR |
52 | A1 | Mark Eddy | Dean Grant | Audi TTRS | |
53 | A2 | Robert Coulthard | Trevor Symonds | Holden CSV Monaro | |
55 | A1 | Daniel Flanagan | Merrick Malouf | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO RS | |
57 | A1 | Dimitri Agathos | Matthew Boylan | Mitsubishi EVO X RS | |
59 | A1 | Ian Geekie | Anthony Carolan | Grant Stephenson | BMW 1M |
64 | A2 | Chris Lillis | Josh Muggleton | Mathew Holt | Holden HSV Clubsport R8 |
67 | A1 | Jeremy Gray | Broc Feeney | Stephen Robinson | Ford GTF |
71 | D | Ben Bargwanna | Jude Bargwanna | VW Golf GTi | |
73 | B2 | Matthew Forbes-Wilson | Ashley Seisun | Michael Ferns | Holden SSV Lowndes |
77 | A1 | Zac Raddatz | Jack Winter | Mitsubishi EVO 9 | |
78 | D | Jason Walsh | Alan Letcher | Ben Crossland | KIA Proceed |
82 | B1 | Peter O’Donnell | Peter Johnston | Garry Mennell | BMW 335i |
84 | C | James Hay | Paul Hansell | Patrick Navin | VW Scirocco |
86 | D | Richard Mork | Ric Shaw | Tom Shaw | Toyota 86 GTS |
89 | C | David Krusza | Jake Williams | BMW 135i | |
95 | A2 | George Miedecke | Paul Morris | Brodie Kostecki | Ford Mustang GT |
97 | X | Shane Smollen | Rob Rubis | Shane van Gisbergen | BMW M4 |
99 | X | Steven Ellery | Tristan Ellery | Dalton Ellery | BMW M3 |